The Tauren Warrior
by Kilrogg Deadeye
Summary: The story of a Tauren Warrior who tries to seek answers for his visions. A story about the Taurens' traditions and relegions.
1. The dancing of the Tauren Warrior

The dancing of the Tauren Warrior

The skies go dark as Ronut blows out Draun the Sun

Shadow goes deeps and cries "Darkness has won!"

The fire starts and welcomes the shadows

The tribe is ready to celebrate the coming of spring

Taurens comes out, out of their tents

Then the cheiftain, Klarus, and to his wife his hand he lends

They all shout "Hail Klarus our cheiftain and his mate Trona!"

The feast begins, the fire burns and finally the spiritman comes forth

He sings, sings about the making of the all

The making of Olongo the Tall

"Hail to Olongo Spirit of Spring!"

Then the dance can begin

It is time to see who will be the new Tauren Warrior

Behold, the young Taurens exit the Holy Tent

All gazes in their eyes, proud fierce eyes, and make their head bent

The spiritman shouts "Behold! The Worthy! The Young!"

"Let them dance now and let Tarum choose in his spirit song.

Choose who will be the new Tauren Warrior!"

They dance, dance to the beating drum

"Dum Dong Dum!"

They dance in the night, the fire casting their shadows

Shadows darker than Ronut herself

They all see as the Worthy is possed by the Holy Ones, the Spirits, the Gods

Obno Spririt of Plants, wife to Olongo, and Santaul Spirit of Earth

Nagong Spirit of War and the Great Spirit himself

Tarum the Allmighty

The Worhty keeps dancing

The fire now dancing in them, spreading its arms, in the wind branching

dancing in their soul, their body, pain, sweat soaking their fur

the drums singing "Dum Dong Dum!"

Then the spiritman screams

"They have spoken, the choice has been made, their words like holy streams!"

All hold their breath, who will it be,?

Lono, Ramtro or Povau perhaps 

Who will be the new Tauren Warrior?

"It is Bonlau! He is our new protector!"

Cheers from the tribe, Klarus rasing his scepter

"I name him Bonlau Fierce Eye!"

Cheers from the tribe

The other Worthy returns to rest

Proud, honoured by their defeat, they did their best

Left is Bonlau Fierce Eye, the Chosen

He enters the Tent of Nagong to recieve his weapon and tatooes

All is well

The Taurens return to their tents to dwell

Still the fire burns telling of the new Tauren Warrior

and still the drums sing

"Tarum Dong Tarum"


	2. A vision of fire

A vision of fire

Bonlau opened his eyes. The Dream of Warrior, delivered to him as the last gift from the Spirirs, had been strange. He had seen himself chasing a hoard of bissons. They had been running from him, towards the mountains. However he had caught up with them and ready to strike the first bisson with his migthy axe. Then suddenly the Mountains of Oranon had started to burn. Birds flew away and then he could hear the drums again. But this time it had not been an encouragement as last night, the Night of Olongo the Tall, but indeed a warning. Which warning Bonlau did not know. Then out of the fire, across the plain, a large group of something he could not see came towards him. Then he remembered no more.

 What did this strange dream mean? He could not think about it now. It was time for the last seramony and ritual before he truely was the new Tauren Warrior, protector of his tribe Ronkongaulon. The Feast of the Spiritmen, the Translators of the Spirits.

 As he left his tents he saw his friends and tribemates wave to him and shouting words of encouragment to him and, he espically noticed, the females who looked at him with looks of interest, more than they use to. Bonlau smiled. Then came his friend Lontau over to him.

 "Bonlau! That was some dance you gave yesterday. You beat me honourably and I'm proud of it."

 Bonlau smiled again.

 "So it seems Lontau. Have you seen our spiritman, may Tarum bless him?"

 "Yes I have. His waiting for you over by the tent of cheiftain Klarus. I think his talking to your father."

 Bonlau patted Lontau on the shoulder and went.

 So long as he could remember, ever since he was a little bull, he had wanted to be the Tauren Warrior. It was the vision of almost everybody of his friends in the tribe. All Tauren tribes had a Tauren Warrior who had special previlages and was treated with almost as much respect and honour as the cheiftain and indeed the spiritman himself. To become a Tauren Warrior was something only few became and was therefor something very special.

 Bonlau saw that the spiritman of his tribe was indeed talking to his father, Homlong, and also his mother, Yau.

 "Greetings, young one!" The spiritman called.

 "Bonlau, we are so proud of you my son!" Both parents embraced their son.

 "It is time my firends. Time for Bonlau to meet his destiny. Come"

 Bonlau went across the tribe and out of it with the spiritman beside him. Finally they had reached the plain of Oranon with the Mountains of Oranon facing them. It was precisly as in Bonlau's dream.

 Olongo the Tall had indeed brought spring forth and it was a sweet one. In this joyful seson trees, bushes and grass sprout from the otherwise dry and desterted land. Many creatures came here to the land of Songdolbopo, called Quel'Thalas by most. It was a country of the Tauren race and many of tribes inhaibited it along side with the High elves and humans though they were much apart in understanding each other. Peace had been around them mostly though. Some Tauren tribes in the land of Tonoldrog, or Azeroth as it was also called, had aided the Alliance, as the pact between humans, elves, dwarfs and gnomes were called, sometimes but only when their families were threatened and their actions had not been much recognised. Still, no Tauren race had never aided the Orcish Horde, allies of the Underworld, and sworn never to do this. It was understood by them that the Orcs had now eventually returned to some acient sharmanic way, as they called it, which involved harmony nature. Thus the Tauren tribes throughout the world kept neutral in most matters. It might be that the aid of the Taurens would be needed one day, as it is said in the Prophecy of Vortorl, the King of Darkness, and then the Taurens would indeed help those who needed it to protect this beautiful world.


	3. The hunting

The hunting

The neighboor tribes each year met here to show forth their chosen Tauren Warrior and to give them the final task before they could enter their new life. Bonlau could see now the others, the new protectors with their spiritmen. Now was the tribe of Aunogerko, Stotroaupo, Fotonogau, Honmebnoko, Totogkaurog and Bonlau's own tribe Ronkongaulon. And there was the five local spiritmen On, Be, Tog, Lo and Bonlau's spritiman Vog. The spiritmen greeted each other while their Tauren Warriors gave each other a stare. They were measuring their strength and height and comparing it. Bonlau knew most and three of them were his friends. Otau, Golto, Jonlog, Ponlau and Notog. Bonlau and his friends, Golto, Otau and Ponlau, met with each other each time when the five tribes came together to hold the four season celebrations. The celebration of Onlongo the Tall was only three days away. It was the most important of the four because it marked the Renewal of Taurum's Kingdom and, every tenth year, was then that the new protectors of the tribes would meet.

 "My friends!" On of the Aunogerko tribe shouted, he was the head of the spiritmen.

 "It is now the Coming of Onlongo the Tall Spirit of Spring, the Renewal of Taurum's Kingdom and the Meeting of the new Tauren Warriors and also the Feast of the Spiritmen."

All were still and listened.

 "It is time to carry out the last of tasks to our new protectors so that they may show that they are indeed worthy and so we can appoint the Head of the Tauren Warriors."

 The Head of the Tauren Warriors were even more honoured than the others and attended to the meetings of the spiritmen. He would have to gather the other Warriors should the tribes have need to combine in an emergency.

 "Present your Warrior, spiritmen." On said.

 Otau the Swift, Golto Keenear, Jonlog the Wise, Ponlau the Powerful, Notog Strongbone and Bonlau Fierce Eye.

 "As you may know the tasks is to capture as many bissons as possible. I have made twenty spirits of the bissons agree to sacrifice their life to you. They will run towards the Oranon Mountains. You will hunt them and then in the end we will se who have catch the most. Those who have catch most will be the Head of the Tauren Warriors. Those who have not catch a single one has been chosen wrong and another will be replaced."

 The Tauren Warriors nodded. Though nobody so long as anybody remebered had not catch any bissions at the Meeting of the new Tauren Warriors the danger always lay there.

 "Behold!" On said and pointed out on the plain. They all turned and saw a group of bissions running toward the mountains. Then the Tauren Warriors ran too. Hunting for their prey.

 Bonlau could see the others running beside him. Their axes in both their hands. Bonlau's axe that has been appointed to him was an Axe of the Rocks, a heavy but loyal weapon.

 Now he had almost reach one of the bissions. He raised the Axe of the Rocks above his head. The suddenly the moutains before him burst in flames just as in his dreams. The large group also came forth fast towards him. Now he could see what it was. A pack of orcs riding on wolfes. They passed him and the bissions, swift as the wind. Then came the fire unto the plain. It ran over it and cosumed all, the bissions and Tauren Warriors alike. Then the fire reached Bonlau. It burned him and ate through his skin and bones.

 Suddenly Bonlau woke up. It had been a vision. He discovered that he was no longer running. Bonlau almost jumped when he saw whole 5 bissions at his feat. How?

 Bonlau turned around and walked towards the spiritmen where the other Tauren Warriors were already waiting.

 "Did you see them?" Otau said exciting.

 "What?" Bonlau said very confused. He was still weary from the vision.

 "The orc party. They almost hit you. They travelled towards your tribe."

Bonlau was amazed. So it had not all been a dream after all.

 "Enough!" On exclaimed.

 "Vog and Bonlau Fierce Eye may deal with the orc riders later.

 Every one of the the bissions were indeed captured. The Warrior who have the most is Notog Strongbone with 6 bissions captured." They all cheered.

"Notog Strongbone, you are the new Tauren Warrior, protector of the Totogkaurog tribe, and it's future spiritman, and the new Head of the Tauren Warriors! Praise Notog Strongbone. All of the Warriors and spiritmen alike, praise and honour him!"

 All the young warriors roared and raised their axes high above their head while the spiritmen, having their ages hinderin them from making to much exciting gestures, merly clapped.

 "Though", On continued, "I must confess that it was very tight victory. Bonlau's hunt was very impressing. He fought like he was struggling with a daemon!"

 "How?" Bonlau asked confused.

 "I saw it as well." Ponlau said said, "Suddenly you went into a frenzy. Roard like Taurum himself had possed you. Your eyes burned, indeed as your title, and you took the bissions by their neck and simply snapped them.

 Bonlau was did not know wheter to be scared, confused or both by these strange happenings. Still, he felt like all of them, the orc riders, the visions and his suddeny frenzy were somehow linked. It did indeed both confuse and scare him.


	4. The Feast of the Spiritmen

The Feast of the Spiritmen

 "Enough of hunting tales. There will be plenty of time for you young warriors to boast about your deeds later. Now starts the very last sermony, the Feast of the Spiritmen. Come my children and gather around the fire." The spiritmen sat down and Lo took out some wood from a skin bag he had brought along. In fact all of the spiritmen had brought a skin bag each.

 On remained standing, raised his hand above the wood which all the others now sat around, and mumbled: "Draun O Atoron no O Nolgo Barkton, barkto ol!" and indeed the wood burst into flames.

 On sat down and pulled many strange ingredients and cooking tools out of his bag, as did the other spiritmen.

 They put the cooking tools over the fire and started to cut up, break, choppe and peal the ingredients and put them in the pots. A fresh and delicious odour quickly came from the fireplace.

 When the meal was complete the spiritmen all rose as did their Tauren Warriors. They all stood in a circle around the fire, hand in hand, singing a rhythm:

 "A Taurum O ovn, Taurum Drogol, mondogol barktor. Mondogol e no rongo Tauren opopolv. Drau Totol Turlol dog tat!"

 In those skilled in the language of the northern Tauren race would have translated it: "Oh Taurum God of gods, Taurem the Almighty, bless this fire. Bless it and protect the Tauren tribes. Let the Feast of the Spiritmen begin at last!"

 The Taurens sat down by the fire and ate. Most of the ingredients where herbs, fruits, vegetables and meat from this area but also some secret ones, which the Spiritmen never spoke about, though rumors about them had always circulated through the various tribes.

 The all watch as Draun the Sun as he was blown out by Ronut and Torau the Moons, the Maidens of Night. They blew Draun until he descended beyond the hills and down to the World Below to lighten it. The stars also came forth as twilight ended and the sky went black.

 The spiritman put more wood on the fire and all was silence save the singing of the grasshoppers, the Singers of Night, as they were called.

 "Now," whispered On but still so loud that all of the Taurens could here. "Now is the time of tales. First you, Tauren Warriors, must tell us of your Dream of Warriors, which you recieved last night by the spirits."

 They all, one by one, told of their dreams, most of them alike. It was about protecting their tribes from all evil and in the end become a spiritman. Others had had dreams of great deeds they might perform in year to come. At last it was Bonlau's turn. He suddenly went silence and simply stared into the fire, which was reflected in his eye so all could see that his title was indeed fitted, Bonlau Fierce Eye.

 All was indeed silence. It seemed that the grasshoppers had ceased their singing and even Ronut and Torau themselves were watching. Finally Bonlau spoke.

 "I had a dream of this hunt. I hunted the bissons across the plain. Then suddenly the mountains they burst into flames." Bonlau now, to his own surprise, remembered his dream precisly as it were. He could see how he ran towards the mountains, how they burned. He could almost feel the heat, as he could in the dream.

 "And then something, a large group, came towards me. There is no more." Bonlau looked up on the others. His fellow Warriors where astonished while the spiritmen looked grave and worried.

 "This dream," On said. "Did it come to you afterwards?"

 "Yes indeed." And Bonlau told in exact details about his vision on the hunt and how, he admitted, he actually could not remember the slaying of the bissons.

 Now the spiritmen looked more worried than ever, but they nodded understandingly.

 "I will ask you one thing young one," On said to Bonlau. "Take heed! Keep this vision to yourself." 

 Bonlau was overwhelmed with surprise. He was no longer scared or confused, but he too was worried now. 

"We spiritmen have a curious suspicion now, but let it lay for the time being. I cannot reveal what it is since we are not completely sure. Be careful Bonlau Fierce Eye. The time will come when you will know the truth, if indeed it be the truth. Now it is time for tales of great deeds in past ages."

 And so the spiritmen recounted the ancient stories in the Tauren religion, in much more details and interesting way than the Warriors where use to.

 Taurum, the Maker of All, had made two worlds, the World Above and Below. In the World Above, in which the Taurens lived side by side with the other creatures of the world, it was a chaotic place filled with both good and evil. In the World Below good and evil and the forces of nature came together and it was a place of order. It was the home of the gods. Taurum himself sat on a five meter high throne of Droto Leaves in his halls. There were many wondrous things there that would last until the end of the world. There was also yet another world, below the World Below, the underworld, or Hell as some referred it to, where the King of Darkness Malice and Evil, Vortorl the Terrible and Strong, sat on his dark throne commanding his demonic army.

 The history of the Tauren race was great, fill with many sorrows, heoric deeds and evil plots. The greatest Warrior, shared by all Tauren tribes and belifes throughout the world, the founder of the Tauren Warriors, Torokau Logodot the Great, forefather of most of the Tauren tribes, had led thousands of Tauren into the Daemon War, trying to prevent the world being seized by the daemons. They had aided both the Trolls, Elves, Humans, Gnomes and Dwarfs who had been the enemy of the daemons, but this too was not much recognised in the present day. After the Second War of the Horde most Taurens had isolated themselves from the other races and lived a happy independent life.

 Finally Draun appead in the east and started to Ronut and Torau towards the west, so that they may rest in the World Below as well. Ronut and Torau was almost gone when Vog and Bonlau parted with the others, bidding them fairewell.

 "Do you know what my visions means, o great spiritman?" Bonlau asked.

 "We spiritmen all have a suspicion about what it might be as, but I cannot tell you. So take On's advice, take heed, be careful young one. Do not utter a word about these visions to anyone."

 Then Bonlau was silence and did not talk for the rest of the way back to his tribe, Ronkongaulon.


End file.
